Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook (18 page)

1.
For croutons: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine oil, minced garlic, and salt; let stand 5 minutes. Add bread cubes; toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, until golden, stirring occasionally. Coolon baking sheet.

2.
For shrimp: Warm oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add shrimp and lemon zest. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

3.
In a large serving bowl, toss lettuce and dressing to coat. Heap on the shrimp and croutons; serve immediately.

TIP

Because Caesar salad dressing is thick, this recipe calls for sturdy Romaine lettuce.

1.
Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes, stirring. Set aside in a small bowl.

2.
Bring broth and 2 cups water to simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cover to keep warm.

3.
In the same skillet used for the vegetables, warm remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot. Cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, until rice is coated and translucent around the edges. Add wine and simmer about 3 minutes, until absorbed, stirring occasionally.

4.
Stir 1 cup warm broth into rice. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Keep adding broth to rice, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring frequently, about 20 minutes, until only about 1 ½ cups of broth remain.

5.
Add sautéed vegetables and 1 cup broth. Simmer 5 minutes, until broth is just absorbed, stirring often. Add cheese, peas, butter, and ½ cup broth (if you have run out of broth, add water). Simmer about 3 minutes, until rice and vegetables are just tender. Keep stirring and add more broth if needed. Risotto should be creamy. Stir in dill; season with salt and pepper.

TIP

This is a big-batch recipe. Cook it in a big pot, since the rice expands as it cooks.

1.
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add leeks and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Sprinkle flour over leeks and cook, until flour is incorporated, stirring constantly.

2.
Increase heat to high; gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, cauliflower and bay leaf; cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, covered, until vegetables are almost tender.

3.
Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

TIP

Clean gritty leeks by slicing them and then rinsing in a strainer under cold running water, separating the rings with your fingers.

1.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

2.
Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Arrange squash chunks in a single layer; cook 6 minutes, without stirring. Turn cubes; cook 4 minutes. Add broth, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover pan and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; cook 3 minutes, until most of liquid has evaporated and squash is tender. Transfer squash and any liquid to large shallow serving bowl.

3.
Warm remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Return squash to pot; stir in thyme and vinegar. Stir in reserved pasta cooking water to desired consistency.

4.
In a large serving bowl, toss pasta with squash. Garnish with cheese.

TIP

The skin of butternut squash is very hard; you’ll need a heavy knife to slice it. You can microwave the squash for 2 minutes to make it easier to cut. Poke a few holes in the skin before microwaving.

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F; set oven rack at middle position. Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut breasts in half crosswise. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2.
Warm 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon while it cooks (sausage will not be cooked through). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

3.
Warm remaining 2 teaspoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down. Cook 4 minutes, without moving. Flip chicken; cook 3 minutes, until browned. Transfer chicken to large plate.

4.
Set same skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers, onion, salt and pepper; cook 7 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add broth, vinegar and sugar; bring mixture to boil, scraping up browned bits from pan bottom.

5.
Return sausage and chicken (with any accumulated juices) to skillet, arranging chicken pieces in single layer, skin-side up, on top of peppers and onion. Transfer skillet to oven and cook 20 to 22 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees.

6.
Remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken and larger pieces of sausage and vegetables to serving platter. Place skillet over medium-high heat; sprinkle with cornstarch and thyme. Simmer 3 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce around chicken and vegetables on platter.

TIP

Use a large, deep skillet or a Dutch oven to hold all the chicken and vegetables and prevent splattering.